Forging a Relationship Through Fire

The photo portrays the work and feeling I dealt with when a reporter ran a story I was involved in without mentioning my client.

At my agency we have been pulling together to increase the number of placements for a client.  I decided to target the Chicago Sun-Times.  I made first contact with no results to show.  I decided to repurpose my pitch and try again.  This time, my pitching resulted in traction.  In the end, the reporter decided to exclude my client from the article, and instead utilize information that I sought out instead.

I was burned and more importantly, the client was not placed.  The frustration level hit a high and instead of burning the bridge, I made it a clear point to the reporter that I am eager to work with her again.

If a similar situation arises for you, do not burn the bridge so quickly.  Instead of holding onto frustration and angst, believe in your abilities.  I hope and believe that the reporter is faithful in my competency and will chose to work with me again.

Here is the story, minus my client:

2 takers for Loop spaces

STATE STREET | Flat Top Grill, Block 37 retailers opening for business in the fall

August 8, 2009 

BY SANDRA GUY sguy@suntimes.com

Two vacant retail spaces in the Loop are coming alive despite the recession and gloomy jobs data.

The former Carson Pirie Scott & Co. building will see the opening in mid-September of Flat Top Grill, a stir-fry fresh-food eatery run by native Chicagoan Keene Addington.

The 5,400-square-foot restaurant at 30 S. Wabash will employ 40 to 60, and will be open for breakfast Wednesday through Sunday, a spokesman said.

One block north of Flat Top Grill is the long-vacant Block 37, where a nearly complete retail project is taking shape. Retailers to open later this fall -- no specific dates are being announced -- are fashion shops PUMA, Zara and Anthropologie and a restaurant run by Lettuce Entertain You.

Several of the retailers hope to attract the growing population of students in the Loop, said Allen Joffe, principal at Baum Realty in Chicago.

"[The students] can't eat cafeteria food all the time," he said.

Analysts predict the economy could start growing again as early as September, despite forecasts for back-to-school spending declines.

On Michigan Avenue, Pie Cafe, a 37-seat eatery run by nonprofit First Slice, expects to open by early October inside the Chicago Water Works Visitor Information Center at 163 E. Pearson St.

First Slice got its start in a church basement kitchen, and now services three soup kitchens and runs a nonprofit cafe in Ravenswood. The new cafe at the Water Works site will not distribute meals to the needy, but will let subscribers pick up their paid-for meals and will help fund meal production for the needy.

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